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H E A LT H CARE The complexity and choices in health care can be head spinning. Fortunately, our region offers a wealth of resources to help. On the following pages, Insights contributors lend their perspectives on three topics — health insurance, oral surgery and treating depression.
DR. C. CRAVEN JAMESON
Oral Surgeon, Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry
DEBORAH KELLER,
RN, BSN, CMCN, CCMC, CPHQ
Chief Executive Officer, TCS Healthcare Technologies
DR. SANDEEP VAISHNAVI
MD, PHD
Medical Director, MindPath Care Center’s Interventional Psychiatry and Clinical Research Institute
INSIGHTS ON ORAL SURGERY WITH DR. C. CRAVEN JAMESON
O
ral Surgeons are a vital component of the dental network. These highly skilled clinicians have extended education to assist patients with the following concerns: TOOTH EXTRACTIONS: Perhaps the most common procedure an oral surgeon performs, tooth extractions are often necessary when wisdom teeth begin to grow in at an improper angle or placement. Some tooth extractions may also be necessary from severe injury or infection. DENTAL IMPLANTS: Often a preferred method of tooth replacement over dentures or bridges, dental implants involve an imbedded screw within the jawbone fitted with a cap that matches the client’s teeth. Implants require a sound knowledge of the jawbone and surrounding areas in order to ensure the procedure’s success. ORTHOGNATHIC SURGERY (CORRECTIVE JAW SURGERY): This surgery is sometimes needed to correct a misaligned bite that cannot be corrected through orthodontics. This surgery can also be needed for repairing congenital abnormalities, or birth defects, such as cleft palate. TREAT FACIAL TRAUMA: Oral surgeons can reconnect severed nerves, set fractured jaw and facial bones, and repair minor to complex facial skin lacerations. They treat facial injuries involving the oral tissues, jaws, cheek and nasal bones, eye sockets, and the forehead.
ALLEVIATE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH TMJ: Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) can cause severe discomfort and pain for those affected. Oral surgeons are able to perform joint surgery for advanced cases of TMJ, alleviating headaches and severe facial pain. Did you know there are more than 300 diseases that can affect the areas of the mouth? Our board-certified oral surgeons specialize in diagnosing and treating these health concerns and are here to help you avoid any issues from worsening. Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry believes in two things: Quality, patient-centered care for you and your loved ones, and using cuttingedge technology to deliver the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art treatments. We listen to your needs and work with you to find the best solution for you, your family, and your budget. We offer sedation dentistry to help make every treatment a relaxed, positive experience. To ensure your comfort during oral surgery, we offer local anesthesia, nitrous oxide, and IV anesthesia. On the day of your procedure, we’ll check your vital signs, administer the appropriate anesthesia, and complete the procedure. Afterwards, we’ll give you post-op care instructions to guide you on a smooth, fast healing process. We’ll have you return to our office approximately one week after your procedure to check on your recovery. Have more questions about our oral surgery services? Want to schedule a consultation? Call Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry today!
DR. C. CRAVEN JAMESON Oral Surgeon, Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry Dr. C. Craven Jameson is the oral surgeon in Wilmington, NC. He practices from the Porter’s Neck location of BrushAndFloss Specialty through Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry. Dr. Jameson was born in Wilmington, NC and lived there until grade school when he moved to the Outer Banks of NC. He grew up in Kitty Hawk until he left for college, attending ECU in Greenville for both college and dental school. After dental school he moved to New Haven, CT for his residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Yale University.
BrushAndFloss.com (910) 795-1287
ARE LEVEL FUNDED PLANS THE ANSWER?
T
he cost of health insurance coverage has many employers wondering what they can do to control rising costs while offering their employees the financial protection of “good insurance”. Despite the ability of business owners and their leadership to effectively manage every other aspect of the business, making smart decisions about health insurance benefits can be one of the most daunting tasks facing the business each and every year. Across the country the dreaded time of year; awaiting the news from their broker of what the double digit increase in cost will be to offer the same if not less attractive benefits to their employees. With each passing year more and more of employers are asking themselves if this is the year that they consider self-funding. According to a 2020 Kaiser Family Foundation study, 67% of U.S. employees is now in self-insured plan which is an increase of 3% since 2017, of course these tend to be larger employers. Smaller employers are increasingly looking at their options a bit closer and they are finding that they have choices including the fact that a Level Funded plan might be a first step towards being self-funded. HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE OFFERINGS FALL INTO THREE CATEGORIES: · A Fully Insured Plan is what most of us think of when we think about employer offered health insurance. The employer and employee pay a monthly premium, the employee gets and insurance card, and the insurance company processes and pays all claims.
· A Self-Insured Plan have been around for many years. Nearly opposite of Fully Insured, an employer sets aside a pool of money to pay for expected medical care costs and accepts the risk that the cost will not be higher than the pool of funds set aside. Given this risk, the employer will often purchase “Stop Loss” insurance to cover amounts exceeding the pool. · A Level Funded Plan are less familiar to most employers and employees. These are plans structured very similarly to Self-Insured Plans but have key differences with the most important being that stop-loss coverage is initiated at a much lower cost threshold than traditional Self-funded stop loss. With their ability to be tailored to the specific population of employees and the lower cost threshold, Levelfunded plans are becoming the stepping stone that many smaller companies have needed to save on insurance premiums immediately while also putting them on a transitional path towards becoming Self-funded. The transparency of provided claims analytics data gives employers direct insight into what benefit package makes sense for their employees versus potentially costly items that employees are less interested in or don’t need. It also allows the employer to control costs due to lower premiums and the opportunity for shared savings that have traditional comprised the roughly 25% profit appreciated by insurance companies selling a Fully Insured Plan. Benefit management consultants can often provide employers with objective guidance on what health coverage option makes the most sense and assist leaders in charting a path to a more cost-effective model.
DEBORAH KELLER, RN, BSN, CMCN, CCMC, CPHQ
Chief Executive Officer, TCS Healthcare Technologies Debb Keller joined TCS Healthcare in 2012. Serving in managedcare executive leadership role for the past 20 years, Previously serving in managed care executive leadership roles, Debb brings first-hand knowledge and understanding of the needs of TCS clients. Debb has successfully developed and launched clinical programs to support Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial lines of business in multiple states. Joining TCS in 2012 as a former client, Debb provides both content and user experience expertise to all TCS products. Debb received her bachelor’s in nursing from Middle Tennessee State University. She is passionate about maintaining certifications in all aspects of managed care as well as healthcare quality.
TCShealthcare.com
(530) 886-1700
TMS: AN OUTPATIENT OPTION FOR HARD -TO -TREAT DEPRESSION
DR. SANDEEP VAISHNAVI MD, PHD Medical Director MindPath Care Center’s Interventional Psychiatry and Clinical Research Institute Dr. Vaishnavi is the Medical Director of MindPath Care Center’s Interventional Psychiatry and Clinical Research Institute. He earned his PhD in Cognitive Science (specializing in cognitive neuroscience) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and his MD also from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He completed a residency in Psychiatry at Duke University, a residency in Clinical Psychopharmacology at Duke University and GlaxoSmithKline, and a fellowship in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Vaishnavi is board-certified in Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties as well as board-certified in General Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
D
epression is a heavy weight that can disrupt lives and cause the memory of happiness to fade. Intense and prolonged feelings of sadness or lack of enjoyment can prevent a person from pursuing their interests or functioning at work. It’s a struggle that no one should bear alone. Luckily, depression is usually treatable, and there is hope. MindPath Care Centers is dedicated to helping patients conquer depression in a way that is specific to them. As
part of one of the largest behavioral health organizations in the country, the MindPath Center in Wilmington provides well-researched clinical treatments to care for a variety of behavioral health conditions. For patients with treatment-resistant depression, MindPath offers Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) This outpatient, non-invasive treatment is ideal for depressed patients who have not found relief from other treatments, such as psychotherapy and antidepressants. FDA-cleared in 2008, TMS works by delivering electromagnetic pulses to the brain to stimulate underactive neurons in the areas that control mood and cognition. Treatment includes 36 sessions scheduled over nine weeks. RATE OF SUCCESS: In real-world clinical studies, approximately twothirds of patients who completed TMS treatment experienced clinically significant improvement. wo-thirds of patients who completed TMS treatment either experienced full remission of their depression symptoms or noticeable improvements. OUTPATIENT BENEFITS: TMS is a nonsystemic outpatient procedure. Patients can drive to and from their appointments and resume normal activities immediately following treatment. MINIMAL SIDE EFFECTS: The most common side effect is scalp discomfort. STAY ON MEDICATION: During TMS treatment, patients are encouraged to continue psychotherapy and medications as prescribed by their regular psychiatrist. TMS physicians work in partnership with a patient’s treatment plan. A typical TMS session lasts roughly 20 minutes. The first session includes
a brain mapping session to customize the treatment area and strength. During treatment, a helmet containing the treatment coil is fitted over a patient’s head, where it delivers a series of pulses followed by a rest period. During treatment, patients can read, watch TV, or chat with their technician. TMS is suited for patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD), which affects about one-third of patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder. A diagnosis is generally made after a patient has unsuccessfully tried psychotherapy and at least two trials of medications from different classes. Depression is a common yet complex human disorder that affects about 1 in 5 adults.in the United States at some point in their lives. It is caused by a variety of factors and can be expressed by many symptoms. Therefore, no two patients experience depression in quite the same way, nor can they be treated the same. Left untreated, depression can worsen and, ultimately, take a serious toll on the body. Depression increases the risk of developing diseases that affect everything from your heart to your immune system. It’s why we believe so strongly that healthcare begins with mindcare. If you or a loved one struggle with emotional, behavioral, relationship, or psychological difficulties, contact the specialist staff at MindPath Care Centers. Get answers or schedule your first appointment by visiting us at mindpathcare.com or calling our Wilmington office at 910-444-3614.